


Mistakes

by gonnaslapaboo



Series: Lucio/Evelyn [3]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: And dark, Angst, Blood, Body Horror, F/M, Gore, it's sad my guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 09:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13972440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonnaslapaboo/pseuds/gonnaslapaboo
Summary: Evelyn remembers, and it hurts, so she decides to do something about it. She messes up real bad.aka Evelyn tries to help Lucio's ghost but she fucks uuuup big time.





	Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

> this is not a continuation of the works in the Lucio/Evelyn series, it's more like an AU!
> 
> find me at loafdog.tumblr.com !

 

This had to be a sign, some higher power had taken pity on her grieving and was giving them a second chance. 

 

At least, that’s what Evelyn told herself when she saw him, despite not fully understanding why. He didn’t  _ look _ like the pompous count Nadia had spoken about and yet, she had immediately recognized him. She  _ knew _ him. Why did she know him? Then he spoke, and everything started coming back, the sound of his voice flooding her brain with memories of conversations, moments and even dreams they had shared. It didn’t come back all at once, oh no, she wouldn’t have been able to bear it if so, she and Asra already knew that much.

 

It was small things at first. A song he used to sing, a meal he used to enjoy, the strangely luxurious clothes in her closet finally making sense, the glint of the sunlight bouncing off her golden cutlery reminding her of his hand. A hand she’d held many times, a dangerously sharp hand that had brushed against her skin delicately like she was something precious, a hand that had made her feel safe like no one had before. Tears spilled from her honey eyes before she even knew it but she quickly wiped them away, surprised at the revelation of how close she’d truly been to the Count. 

 

A few days later a glimpse of blond hair had caught her eye while shopping at the market, making her turn in her heels and anxiously search the crowd, looking for...who was it again? oh,  _ him _ … an intense feeling of sadness twisted in her gut as she stood there, gaze unfocused, reminiscing of the sensation of soft blond locks through her fingers, memories of nights spent holding him close and deeply intimate moments replayed in her brain. How could she have forgotten…?

 

The apprentice couldn’t bear to tend to the rose bushes in the little greenhouse in the back of her shop anymore, leaving the task to Asra, Gods bless his heart. The smell of roses held a tinge of melancholy she hadn’t been able to place until it suddenly clicked, echoes of the past shrouding her vision as she recalled the countless baths in rose oils and petals they had shared together. She chuckled sadly, recalling how much he’d enjoyed reveling in luxury and extravagance. It all seemed so far now…

 

Little by little, all the pieces of the puzzle came together and she found herself growing weary, the grief she’d been denied by her memory loss slowly but unforgivingly catching up with her. The more Evelyn remembered, the heavier the darkness in her heart grew, knowing he no longer was in this world. 

 

Or was he?

 

For some unknown reason his spirit was still roaming the city, unable to rest but also unable to stay, conscious enough to recognize those he came across and strong enough to even strike a conversation with them. So maybe…

 

No, she chastised herself as thoughts of forbidden magic ran through her mind. Trifling with life and death would be breaking the most important rule, and her mother had taught her well enough to know she should never even consider it or the consequences would be dire. 

 

And yet, with every memory, every reminder, every dream in which they reunited and every morning waking up alone, the boundary between right and wrong became more and more blurred. She had bumped into him, his spirit or  _ whatever _ that was, a few more times and his distress at his situation was obvious, the magician could quite literally  _ feel _ his frustration and anger, his longing, which only heightened her need to do something, to help him. Curse her damned empathy.

 

He was stuck. Whatever it is that he had attempted and butchered in his final moments had  _ clearly _ not worked, leaving him a mangled mix between spirit and entity. 

 

So she had two options, and she could almost hear her mother disapprove from her grave as she reached this conclusion. Either help him pass, or help him return. 

 

Evelyn knew, logically, that the best choice was to follow the natural path and help him move on, but the mere thought of it made her throat constrict painfully and her eyes burn with unshed tears. She couldn’t do it, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Frantic thoughts filled her mind and she could feel panic crawling under her skin, leaving her feeling heavy and unable to move. She had to do it, her brain screamed at her to get to work, she couldn’t just leave him roaming between the worlds of the living and the dead, she had research to do but her body just would not cooperate. She couldn’t part with him just yet. And so, a terrible decision was made.

 

Research was surprisingly easy after that. Having access to the palace’s library was definitely a great help, but what she ultimately needed couldn’t be found there. Instead, she let her magic lead the way, her arms heavy with ingredients, her steps light and her heart soaring with hope for the first time in months.

 

Thanks to a spell she did not recall learning, Evelyn reached what seemed like an abandoned cathedral and she knew she was in the right place. Moonlight shone through stained glass windows painting the mossy broken down walls in a sea of colors, the ruined pillars now covered in ivy as nature reclaimed the holy ground were brimming with energy and she could tell something  _ powerful _ had happened there. The full moon and leftover magic would surely aid her and she nodded in thanks when she could feel it welcoming her, drawing her in.

 

Asra would be  _ so _ upset when he found out. The thought made her hesitate, her steps towards the altar faltering for a second. She had been reluctant to use magic under his tutelage, wary of disturbing strange and mighty forces beyond her comprehension, and yet she had no fear this time. This felt right, natural, the power thrumming through her veins seemed almost eager to be put to use, so she followed her gut and stupidly ignored everything her wise teachers had warned her about.

 

She wasn’t planning on bringing him back fully, no, that would require a human sacrifice and she wasn’t willing to go that far. Instead, she would attempt to rectify the shape of his spirit, in hopes that his soul would part from whatever mess he had gotten it mixed with and hopefully, after doing some good deeds or self reflection, move on on its own.

 

At least, that was the original plan, but Evelyn had miscalculated. 

 

She had followed the whispers of magic instead of an actual spell, trusting it to guide her hand. Joy bloomed in her heart at the sound of hooves on dusty tiles echoing through the building, followed by a blur of white fur and red eyes through the smoke screen of the incense she was burning. The spell was working, Lucio had been summoned and she could feel his confusion in her own heart but she pushed it aside to continue channeling her power into the spell, determined to make it work. 

 

Blood spilled from her hand as she pushed a dagger into her palm in a long dash along her life line, her blood acting as a catalyst for the connection to the world of the living that was to guide Lucio’s spirit to its original shape through the runes drawn on the dusty floor of the cathedral.

 

He was fascinated, the apprentice could tell by the way he observed quietly while circling her instead of trying to chit-chat as usual. She fondly remembered how he’d always been interested in magic. She wanted to explain what she was doing, what each ingredient contributed to the spell and the purpose of it like she had when he was still alive, but that would have to wait until he was back to looking like himself. It wouldn’t be the same, he wouldn’t be able to smell or feel the herbs as he would still be a ghost, but at least he would be there, and they would have to settle for that.

 

Magic works stronger when influenced by emotions though, and what her heart desired the most was to have him back  _ completely _ , to feel his arms around her once more, to curl up against the warmth of his chest, to- 

 

Something was going wrong. The air had grown heavy, charged with latent magic, and she finally realized what she’d done.

 

Her own magic, following her deepest, darkest desire, had tricked her into casting a spell to return him to life. She cursed at herself for being so foolish and stood in a meager attempt to stop it, to stop herself, but her magic crackled furiously. The spell demanded a human sacrifice for Lucio to have a living, human body and it was not getting what it wanted.

 

Gusts of wind rose in circles around her as panic rose in her chest, small bolts of aquamarine colored energy buzzing and arching across her skin, between her fingers, through her hair, her entire body overcharged like an electric battery without an outlet.

 

“No, no, no, stop, please, st-” her alarmed pleading was interrupted by a pained groan and her attention immediately switched to Lucio, who fell to his knees as he was struck by blue-green lightning, his animalistic face contorted in pain as sparks rained down on his white fur. 

 

Evelyn stepped forward instinctively to help but found herself unable to move, the wind around her growing stronger as it slowly lifted her off the ground. The powerful spell was in motion and there was no stopping it until it reached its completion, whether it had what it needed or not. She lifted her arms towards him and called his name, reaching desperately while bitter tears spilled from her eyes. Lucio writhed in pain on his hand and knees on the dirty floor of the cathedral, small clouds of dust lifting under his labored breath. This was not what she had intended, regret weighed heavily on her chest and she could do nothing but watch how her own stupidity and naivety hurt the one she loved the most.

 

Her hands flew up to cover a horrified gasp when she heard something  _ snap _ . Lucio bent forward with a pitiful howl, something  _ shifting _ and cracking under his fur, hurting him, because of  _ her _ . A thousand possibilities ran through Evelyn’s brain, each more horrifying than the last. Would he disappear? Would he return as a beast? Would he stay stuck and constantly in pain? Would he have to suffer the consequences of her mistake for eternity?

 

A sob racked her body and she could feel the spell reaching its climax, every cell in her body brimming with uncontrolled power as aquamarine lightning struck Lucio again and again, a cloud of smoke and dust hiding his wretched state, the sound of flesh breaking under magic mingling with his screams until suddenly, everything went white. 

 

All the pent up energy that was stored in the magician’s body finally spilled out in one last, enormous wave of electricity that washed over the entire building before she dropped to the cold ground unceremoniously, holding onto her consciousness by a thread. 

 

Silence fell over the ruins of the cathedral, its walls practically vibrating with new power. Her mind, now clearer, understood. She hadn’t  _ found _ this place, she’d been  _ called _ to it. This was not holy ground anymore and it hadn’t been so for many years. Whatever powerful event it was that had happened there before… it was dark, and it left behind only an insatiable hunger. She should not have trusted it, after all...but that didn’t matter anymore, what was done was done.

 

What mattered, though, was the result of the spell. Mustering up all the strength she could gather, Evelyn crawled towards where Lucio had been. The cloud of smoke and dust was slowly setting, revealing what looked like a human body curled up on the floor. Had it actually worked…?

 

“Lucio…?” she coughed weakly, afraid of the response. Her hand hovered over his shoulder but she didn’t dare make contact with the pale skin, her fingers still tingling after such an intense experience. The body seemed real, as corporeal as hers, and both the flames of hope and doubt flickered to life in her heart. Was he alive? Was it really him? It shouldn’t have worked, the spell was incomplete… Evelyn rose to her knees to get a better view and laughed in surprise.

 

The spell certainly was incomplete. Protruding from Lucio’s head were a pair of horns much like the ones from his beast form, along with elongated ears covered in soft white fur. Well, that was… honestly better than what she’d expected. He looked like the Devil he’d so wished to become. Joyful laughter shook her frame as tension eased from her shoulders, she had done it! It worked! Sure, there were a few...mistakes, but nothing they couldn’t work through! 

 

“You’re back… finally, I can’t believe… I did it!  _ We _ did it! I knew you could, you’ve always been a stubborn one…” She rested her hand on his shoulder with a sigh of relief and immediately regretted it. 

 

Lucio flinched at her touch and pushed her away in one swift, powerful hit of...a claw? One of his arms had taken the aspect of the beast’s again and Evelyn’s heart sank. It seemed his new body wasn’t stable, his erratic breathing and the glint of something wild in his red eyes told her he didn’t recognize who she was.

 

“Lucio...Lucio, dear, it’s me…” she sat up with some effort, her brain swimming and her body still sore from the exertion of performing such a strong spell, and tried to calm him down holding both of her hands up, trying to appear non-threatening. Lucio cocked his head to the side, watching intently, but the movement sent a jolt of pain down his arms, both whole as Evelyn noted, causing him to lash out at her with a feral growl.

 

The apprentice was knocked back by the blow, sharp clawed fingers cutting a line across her left eye and turning her vision red. She laughed again through the pain, each touch of his no matter how painful reminding her that he was real, he was  _ here, alive _ . Gods, she had really gone too far to back out now. 

 

She scrambled back to her feet and racked her brain for a way to stabilize the spell, to bring Lucio back to his senses, and without much thought she burst into song. It started as a soft, tentative hum and grew into a familiar tune when she noticed him standing still. It was his favorite song, the lullaby she’d created to lull him into a dreamless sleep during his bad nights. Her voice reverberated off the walls of the cathedral beautifully, its healing power increased by the magic in them starting to take effect on the man.

 

He blinked a few times before a hint of recognition appeared on his expression and he tried to speak, frustrated when his vocal chords didn’t cooperate. It was a new body, still stitching itself together, so it was only logical it had some issues. But Lucio was not a patient man, and his anger boiled under his skin, shifting his appearance to one closer to a beast. A collar of white fur grew from his shoulders, spreading across his body as he let his rage consume him.

 

Without hesitation, Evelyn ran up to him and jumped into his arms. She did not think about her own safety, his reaction or her wound, all she could think about was how real, solid,  _ alive  _ he felt against her body as she wept. Somehow, that managed to stun him long enough for him to calm down, or maybe the familiar scent and the feeling of her arms around him was what did the trick. When he slowly, carefully wrapped his arms around her and whispered her name, all Evelyn could do was cry harder.

 

They stood there, holding eachother in fear of disappearing at any moment while also wanting their reunion to last as forever, for God knows how long. Eventually her sobs came to a stop, the only noise that could be heart was her occasional sniffling.

 

“Evelyn…” he called out in a hoarse voice, body still fighting to maintain its shape. “I remember you now...how-” his question was interrupted by the snap of a branch at the entrance of the cathedral, the sudden sound making them both turn towards the source of it. Apparently, the ruckus from the spell had attracted someone’s unwanted attention, and Evelyn clicked her tongue in annoyance while wiping some blood off her face. Huh, that was a lot of blood… she blinked a few times, trying to get her vision back, but it was not working, all it did was send a sharp jab of pain to her brain. 

 

She brought a hand up to feel the gash on her face and her stomach sank. It was not just a superficial cut as she’d thought, the wound was going right across her left eye, if she didn’t heal it soon...Ah, but the spell had drained her of most of her magic, and in any case this was proof. Proof that Lucio was back. She managed to stop the bleeding but left the wound to scar, leaving it as a reminder of this day, of what she’d accomplished. While she was busy doing this, she failed to notice the way Lucio glowered, the way his body shifted under his skin, the way the fire of his rage flared up again.

 

It was only when he stepped back from her, fully back in his beast form that she realized. He was not stable, the spell still hurting him from the inside out, and it was hungry. The everlasting need to  _ devour _ left in the cathedral had somehow permeated his being and demanded more, demanded completion, demanded a sacrifice in exchange of the flesh it had given him. For the first time, Evelyn saw true fear in Lucio’s eyes.

 

“Hey! what’s going on here?!” Lucio’s attention snapped to the stranger standing near the building’s gate and without a second thought, he lurched forward. All Evelyn saw before it even occurred to her to warn the stranger was a blur of white rushing past her and then red. Blood splashed against the tiled floor, the mossy walls, the vine covered columns, the white fur, leaving everything stained in ruby.

 

“...Lucio…?” the magician asked weakly, stepping towards the animalistic figure hunched over the now dead stranger. The sickly sounds of bones breaking and skin being ripped resonated against the walls and Evelyn covered her mouth in disgust when Lucio turned at the sound of her voice and moonlight illuminated the scene. He was there, claws deep into the man’s torso, blood dripping from his muzzle as he chewed on… was that a  _ heart _ ? 

 

“Evelyn… I… I was so  _ hungry _ ” he finally broke the silence, voice shaky with horror. Sure, Lucio had done some terrible things in his life, but  _ eating _ someone’s heart? That was too much, even for him. “I almost…to  _ you _ …” Ah, she understood the fear she had seen in his eyes earlier now and it made her chest feel painfully tight. 

 

“Lucio… it’s...it’s okay, it’s not your fault…” she tried to reassure him while stepping closer, ignoring the blood beneath her feet. She knelt before him without caring if her clothes got dirty, sensing that his hunger had been sated now that magic was no longer buzzing under his skin and he was back on his more human form, the only remnants from his beastly side left were the horns and goat ears that adorned his head and the sharp, bloodied claws. The spell had finally been completed. “We… we can fix this, I- I’ll find a way… it was m-my mistake that… gave you that hunger…” 

 

He raised a hand and she flinched, afraid he’d curse her out for being so careless and making such a terrible mistake, for putting him through so much out of her own selfishness but instead he caressed her face gently, a look of worry in his red gaze. “What...happened to your eye…? Did I…?” 

 

Evelyn shook her head, placed a hand on top of his and smiled, leaning into his touch despite the blood on his hands as tears burned in the corners of her eyes again. Gods, she’d missed him so much… “Just a small mistake...I’ll be fine as long as you’re here…”

 

Lucio leaned forward and pressed their lips together, the metallic taste of blood made Evelyn’s stomach flip but she kissed back in earnest and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him as close as possible. She had waited far too long for this, and she was not going to let  _ anything _ ruin it.

 

She finally had him back at her side, and she would do  _ whatever it took _ to keep him there.


End file.
